It's Never Long Enough
by Scarlet Tabby
Summary: A series of scenes between Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko. Begins during her time as Laura and ends at the series finale. Drama, angst and romantic fluff (and, of course, a happy ending!)
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Welcome everyone who has stumbled across this story. I recently discovered Alias and watched the entire series in a matter of weeks. I immediately fell madly in love with Jack Bristow and the second Irina came onscreen, I adored her as well. And being the kind of person I am, I need romance and happy endings for my favorite characters. This story is a series of scenes throughout Jack and Irina's lives, starting here, at their wedding night, and ending where JJ Abrams left us at the series finale. I hope you enjoy my take on these two fascinating characters, and please take the time to review if you have anything to say. Enjoy!

**It's Never Long Enough**

_The Wedding Night_

His hands ran all over her body, lighting her afire with each touch. He was so powerful, so forceful, and yet there was a gentle tenderness in the way he made love to her. Irina Derevko was unaccustomed to such a thing. Perhaps it was just the way with Americans. Or maybe this was something that was so purely Jack Bristow. It was such a nice name. Easy to remember in times like this when he made her forget even her own name. Proklyatiye! What was her name?

"Oh Laura," Jack moaned.

Right. That was it. Laura Bristow. It was so odd to think that she was married to this CIA agent. The idiot had no idea. He was so blinded by his love for her. It was just as well. Too often in recent times she had slipped up. It was too subtle for anyone to notice, but if this American spy had been paying the attention he should have, he would have known. Irina was beyond frustrated with herself. But, she reminded herself, she was so young. At 18, she was recruited. At 21, she was sent here to America to get close to a CIA agent. At least they chose one who was young and attractive. A year later, she was on her honeymoon. The marriage might be a sham, but right now, it suddenly didn't feel that way.

With a confidence beyond her years and experience, Irina flipped herself over, pinning her husband on his back. She had a seductive grin on her face and was about to go in for a searing kiss when she paused for a moment. That sparkle shining in Jack's eyes. The way he was smiling.

"I love you, Laura," he said softly, running his right hand down her left thigh as it straddled his body.

Irina felt something altogether new come over her. She leaned forward, her dark tresses cascading around her face and tickling his chest. "I love you, too," she whispered just before covering his mouth with hers. And for the first time since she met Agent Jack Bristow, she meant her words. She meant them with all her heart and soul.

She would continue to use him, certainly. After all, he worked for the government of the American pigs. The KGB existed to protect the Soviet Union from the influence of such capitalist evil. But this one capitalist American pig, he was different. And no matter what she did for Mother Russia, Irina Derevko would spend every night of the foreseeable future with this man, and she was finding that she didn't mind at all.

Later that night, long after their lovemaking had come to fruition, she silently got out of bed. She kissed Jack's sleeping face. He had performed admirably and deserved his rest. With a silly grin, she threw on a green silk robe and padded into the bathroom. She closed the door tight and turned on the light to gaze at herself in the mirror.

Her bright brown eyes were full of sparkle. That was to be expected after the intense pleasure she had just received. But there was more to the look in her eyes. Those things she had been thinking while Jack made love to her. There were disturbing on so many levels.

"Get your head on straight, Irina," she whispered to her reflection, all in Russian. It was much easier to remember who she really was in her native tongue. Pretending to Laura Bristow was starting to weigh on her. "You are Irina Derevko, KGB operative. You do not love this man. You cannot love this man. You will use him, just as you have been ordered to do. And you will enjoy it!"

A knock at the door interrupted her.

"Laura?"

"Come in," she responded, carefully bringing back her perfected American accent.

Jack entered the bathroom, clad only in a pair of silk boxers. She surveyed up and down his body. His broad shoulders, perfectly sculpted chest and abdominals, those Adonis-like legs. It was no wonder she was so attracted to him.

"Is everything alright, sweetheart?" His chocolate eyes surveyed her intently, just as they seemed to focus intently on whatever Jack happened to be looking at. He didn't smile very often, but when he did, it was something magical. Irina wanted the satisfaction of knowing she made him smile. When he was serious like this, it unnerved her. She would hate to be on the receiving end of one of his interrogations.

She walked to where he stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder so she could breathe in his heavenly masculine scent. His strong arms enfolded her, and she sighed happily. "It's just a little strange to think that we're married."

"Strange how?" he asked, kissing her hair affectionately.

"I don't know. I'm just so happy, Jack." She pulled away from him ever so slightly so she could kiss him.

Jack beamed at her. "I'll make sure you're happy forever."

"It won't be long enough."

Little did Jack know, their time together had an expiration date. Irina did not yet know when she would have to leave him, but forever was not in the cards.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: This next scene takes place about three years later, giving us a peek inside the world of Irina Derevko as she continues her KGB work as Laura Bristow.

_Motherhood_

Every two months, Irina checked in with her KGB contacts. They met in a different hotel each time, and Irina never knew who or where she would be meeting until she got the code. Their meetings had been less frequent over the last year. When she was pregnant, she became quite conspicuous in public; it wasn't so easy to go in and out undetected. And after Sydney was born, Jack took time off to spend time with the baby. She couldn't very well leave without awkward questions.

Now that Sydney was nearly six months old, Irina could leave her tiny daughter with Jack in the afternoons when he got home so she could go grocery shopping or, today's excuse, getting her hair done. She did make an appointment for a quick styling. It was imperative that she do something with her hair. While most men would not notice their wives' hair style, Jack was trained to notice details. And even in his flush of fatherly joy that caused him to have eyes only for little Sydney, Irina couldn't take chances.

So after paying ten dollars to have a beautician curl her hair, Irina met Bazarov at a motel in Santa Monica. He came directly to the point when she walked in the door.

"You have been distracted, Agent Derevko. Your reports have been sketchy at best, and we are beginning to think you are losing focus of your true purpose, Comrade."

It took Irina a moment to reacquaint herself with the rapid Russian he spoke. It was even more difficult with his filthy Georgian accent. She took a deep breath and launched into her prepared response. After all, she knew this was bound to be coming. "I am not distracted from my purpose. I have merely been having a uniquely interesting time with my cover. How many agents have to add giving birth onto their alias' CV?"

"You have had plenty of time to recover from that. In the homeland, women give birth and go to the factory the next morning. My own mother did that with me."

"Yes," she countered swiftly, not missing a single beat, "because that is what is expected for us. But here, in this decadent country, mothers are expected to spend every waking moment with their newborn for months." Irina added the subtle tone of disgust to enhance her argument. "If I did anything else, Agent Bristow would be suspicious. And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

He glared at her. "You should have terminated the pregnancy as you were instructed to. Or else taken better care to prevent it all together."

"Bristow found out about my…condition before I was able to send word. And he has been all the more devoted to me since the child's birth, so there is no use discussing how I _should_ have dealt with it. What's done is done, and it might even be for the best. We will move on from here."

Bazarov looked at her closely through his beady black eyes. "You are not developing attachment to the child?"

Irina scoffed, "Certainly not!"

"Perhaps you should eliminate her, for good measure."

Her stomach turned at the very idea of doing anything to harm her beautiful baby. Only Jack would ever see that Sydney was the very reason for Irina's life now. Jack adored their daughter, making Irina only love them both more. But Bazarov would never know that. None of them would. "What would you have me do, drown Agent Bristow's child? What would happen then, hmm? It would blow my cover! And even if he were not suspicious of me, the loss of the daughter would destroy him. Any work he is doing would cease, possibly forever. Then where does that leave me? No. We keep on as we have."

Bazarov was growing impatient. "Enough of this sentimentality, Derevko!" He slammed his fist on the desk. "I have been given authorization to put you out of commission if you don't give me anything to report back. Perhaps it is time I carried out my orders."

He came at her, faster than one would have expected from such a lumbering form. Irina had to react quickly. The tight skirt she wore prevented her from the roundhouse kick she normally would have employed to diffuse this situation. Instead, she delivered a lightning quick jab from her left hand. Bazarov stumbled backward, clutching his bleeding face. Her wedding rings had ripped through his cheek. Irina struggled to hide her smug smile. It was nice to know she still had the ability to take down any man, in whatever way she chose.

She turned to leave the room but decided otherwise. "He's received approval to begin testing children. When the novelty of the baby has worn off, he will return to work fulltime on Project Christmas. There will be more to report in six months. I don't want to hear from anyone earlier than that. And if anyone comes anywhere near harming my daughter, I guarantee I will blow my cover to defend her."

Irina Derevko exited the motel. In one deep breath, Laura Bristow returned. It was time to go home and see her family. The drive home was difficult. She was so close to ruining everything that motel room. That baby girl was the light of her life. And now the KGB knew that Irina loved her daughter. Was it such a stretch for them to guess that she also loved her husband? No, that couldn't happen. Irina couldn't allow that. She needed more time with them. Jack would go back to work soon, and Irina would have plenty to report. And in the meantime, she had Sydney. She would just explain at the next meeting that she was still hormonal from breast feeding. There would be problems for Irina in the future, but there was nothing to do about that now. She had begun to realize that she could not be a good agent and a good mother. One or both would be sacrificed. Irina began to fear which one it would be.

When she opened the door to the Bristow home, she heard ruckus in the living room. Irina walked in and leaned on the door jam to watch the scene before her. The radio was playing some terrible song and Jack was dancing, quite badly, with Sydney in his arms. The baby was gurgling and laughing as she stared up at her daddy with shining brown eyes.

"Look, Sydney, Mommy's home!" Jack said happily. "Come see, Laura, she likes KC and the Sunshine Band!"

Irina laughed. "Jack, if you aren't careful, our daughter is going to grow up with terrible taste in music."

Jack put the baby down in her carrier beside the sofa and came over to take his wife in their arms. "Oh come on. It isn't that bad," he protested as he twirled her around the living room.

"Are you telling me you like disco now?" she asked with a grin.

He feigned consideration for a moment before answering, "You're right. This is hideous. But if it makes our daughter smile, it must have some redeeming qualities."

"I think her father is the one that makes her smile. After all, I can't help but smile whenever I'm in your arms."

Jack stopped dancing so he could kiss her enthusiastically. Irina was in heaven, despite the ridiculous music playing in the background. She never wanted this to stop. She wanted to be happy with Jack and Sydney forever. She would have quit the KGB today if she thought she could. But that would put the whole family in mortal danger. No, this was how it had to be. She would enjoy every single moment she could with her husband and child. She was painfully aware that there would be far too few of them for her liking.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I think this scene explains itself. Also, if you haven't done so yet, please review!

_The First Goodbye_

Irina hung up the payphone and wiped her eyes. Tomorrow. It was scheduled for tomorrow. Everyone was in place. There was no way to stall Khasinau any longer. The KGB had duplicated Project Christmas for their own purposes. Agent Derevko was needed elsewhere.

"Mommy!"

A little girl with a wide toothy grin and bouncing brown braids came bounding up to Irina.

"Sydney! You're supposed to wait for me outside your classroom," Irina scolded, hugging her daughter tight and stifling any lingering feelings that resulted from the phone conversation.

"I'm sorry, Mommy. But I saw you here so I came to you instead."

Irina shook her head and sighed. Sydney was more and more like her parents every day. She did whatever her logical little head told her was right. She saw her mother across the street, so she crossed the street without supervision, something a six year old should not have done.

"Oh well. You're here now. Let's go home, sweetheart. But please try not to cross the street alone except in an emergency, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Sydney replied, taking her mother's hand as they walked to their car.

Irina asked her daughter what she had learned in school that day, and Sydney prattled on about the life cycle of a butterfly and the grammatical rules of a preposition. She was such a bright child. Irina was sure her daughter would grow up to be an extraordinary woman, even if Irina never saw her again.

Sydney got into the back seat and buckled herself in. Irina got in the driver's seat but paused before starting the car. She twisted in her seat to look at her daughter.

"Sydney, I want you to promise me that you'll be safe. Promise me that you'll remember everything Mommy and Daddy have taught you and you'll keep yourself safe."

The six year old didn't understand which was just as well. She nodded at her mother.

"I love you very much, Sydney."

"I love you, too, Mommy."

Irina drove them home in silence. Sydney was far too young to know that her mother's behavior should worry her. Irina would have to put up a much better front when Jack got home. That wouldn't be difficult though. He thought she spent her days teaching English literature. Which, in a way, she did. But only after assassinating CIA agents and passing government secrets to the KGB. All in a day's work for Agent Irina Derevko.

Jack arrived just before dinner. He kissed his wife hello, and she felt tears sting her eyes. It would be the last time he would ever come home to greet her. She turned away before he could notice her reaction.

They ate dinner as they always did, in genial conversation about Sydney's schoolwork and Irina's classes. Jack and his wife spoke of his work when they were alone. No need for Sydney to ask questions about things she could know nothing about.

Throughout the meal, Irina stared at her husband and child, trying to etch their faces into her mind, to memorize every little nuance of their speech and behavior.

"Laura?"

"Hmm? I'm sorry, sweetheart, what did you say?"

Jack smiled. "It isn't like you to be so absent minded. We asked what part you think Sydney should play in the school's Thanksgiving play. Indian or pilgrim?"

"Oh I think you'd be perfect in either. But I think being an Indian might be more fun," she answered, returning her mind to the present.

Sydney beamed. "I like feathers. But I don't know if I want to do it."

"You can do anything you set your mind to, Sydney. Never let fear stop you from doing anything," Irina told her sternly.

Jack nodded. "Very well said, Laura. See, Sydney? Listen to your mother. She's a very smart woman."

With a grin, she responded, "Well, they don't call me 'Professor' for nothing."

After dinner, she washed the dishes for the last time, making sure they were all spotless and put away. She didn't want Jack to worry about useless things like dishes when she was gone. This was going to destroy him. Any little thing she could do to make it easier would be worth it.

Jack came back down to the kitchen. "Sydney is in bed. Not asleep yet, but we know she never sleeps until you tuck her in. So I heard about your day. Would you like to hear about mine?"

She took a deep breath. "You can tell me if you want to, but I'm not really in the mood to talk."

His gaze scrutinized her every move. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she insisted, knowing that she wasn't lying very well. "Have the FBI called off their investigation yet?"

He groaned and ran his hands through his brown wavy hair. It was just barely starting to gray at the temples; premature aging was an unfortunate side effect to being an international super spy. "No, they haven't called off the dogs yet. It's only a matter of time though. I'm innocent. They can only go so far with circumstantial evidence before they figure out that it wasn't me."

_They'll figure it out soon enough_, Irina thought to herself. She finished putting away the dishes and turned back to Jack. "The truth will come out. You'll be fine."

He put his arms around her and kissed her softly. "I've got you. Of course I'll be fine."

"I have to go check on Sydney. But when I'm done, I think we should have an early night."

"Are you tired?"

She grinned wickedly. "Not at all."

Jack's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! I'll be upstairs when you're done with Sydney." He kissed her once more before jogging up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Irina chuckled and followed him upstairs to see their daughter.

Just as expected, Sydney was wide awake when Irina came in. "Mommy, will you tell me a story?"

She sighed and agreed. Irina sat on the edge of Sydney's pink and white bedspread and told a very abridged version of Beauty and the Beast. Before she reached the end, Sydney's eyes fluttered closed and she was lost in dreamland. Irina kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you, my Sydney. And even though I have to leave you, know that I will always love you more than life itself. Do svidaniya, my darling daughter."

Irina gently closed the door behind her. She wouldn't see Sydney in the morning. She would have to leave early to get to the extraction point on time. She crossed the hall and went into the bedroom she had lived in for seven years. It was time to bid farewell to Jack, even if he was unaware of it.

Immediately, his lips were on hers. Even if he hadn't surprised her, the kiss would have still taken her breath away. There were no words as they rid one another of their clothes and tumbled onto the bed. Their hands and mouths explored one another like it was the first time, but Irina knew it would be the last. The surge of emotion she felt as her husband made love to her one final time was overwhelming. Still, she held it at bay, allowing the physical pleasure to overpower her, sending her over the edge to ecstasy. She would miss this, that was for sure.

After Jack had fallen asleep and the house was silent, Irina allowed herself to cry. Her tears were silent, much like her pain over the course of this mission. But it was more than a mission. It was her life. It was a wonderful life that she had never known she wanted. She didn't want to leave, but she had no choice. She had made this decision long ago when she agreed to enter the KGB. Agent Irina Derevko would be around for years to come, but Laura Bristow was going to die tomorrow. So she wept. She wept for her family and the years they had together. It wasn't long enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: We've now reached the point where I've taken to extending scenes from the show or else showing moments between Jack and Irina that we didn't see on TV. This one takes place in Season 2, Episode 17, where Jack and Irina are in Panama, planning to take down Sloane. This is the first time they've been alone together in twenty years. I really enjoyed writing this scene. Hope you like it!

_The Second Goodbye_

Against his better judgment, Jack agreed to remove the tracking chip from her shoulder. She was completely correct, of course. If she were swept, it would be picked up, and their whole operation would be over. He got the small scalpel sterilized. He glanced over at her, captivated momentarily by the way she removed all of the clothing in the way of her shoulder. Twenty years later, she was just as beautiful as the day she left. More so, with that seductive secrecy that surrounded everything she said and did. In anyone else, such deception would have turned Jack Bristow's skin. But this woman…

"Jack? Are you ready?"

He cleared his throat slightly and walked over to where she sat on the edge of the bed. "Yes. Of course, Kendall would have me court marshaled for this."

Irina moved her hair out of the way and braced herself as the scalpel bit into her flesh. It was nothing compared to the kind of pain she had felt in the past. Being shot and stabbed and tortured to near death puts a small surgical cut in perspective. "Kendall isn't as smart as you are," she responded softly. That was what she was always good at: letting Jack Bristow hear exactly what he wanted to hear. She always knew what would manipulate him. He didn't even know she was doing it. He should have become wiser over the years. Maybe he had. But not when it came to her. The thought somehow made her sentimental.

"There." Jack disposed of the tracker and put the prepared bandage over her wound. His hands gently pressed the adhesive onto her skin, lingering ever so slightly. Her skin was so smooth and soft. So sensual, so beautiful.

Jack's touch was still as tender as ever. Even after knowing who she really was and what she had done, he still held such latent affection for her. And if she had allowed herself to, she would realize that she felt the same love for him today that she had felt twenty years before. The way his hands ever so subtly caressed her immediately transported her back to the days when they had happily lived as husband and wife. Irina slipped for just a moment to indulge in the feeling.

"You okay?" he asked, noticing how her eyes closed and her breath hitched. Perhaps it had hurt more than expected?

"This is nothing," she whispered, turning to look directly at him. It was true on so many levels. The pain was nothing. The flush of emotion toward him meant nothing. She had a plan. She had things to do. She would not let herself become distracted from that. Twenty years ago, she had lacked the conviction she possessed today. Irina had experienced things that harden the heart. There was no real place for love in her life anymore. But the way he was staring at her. Most people wouldn't have noticed anything odd. After all, Jack Bristow was not a very effusive or expressive man for the most part, especially now. But Irina knew. She could see the lust in his eyes when he looked at her, partially disrobed and vulnerable as she was. She knew just what was on his mind. "We need to be up early," she told him. Her voice was seductive and she knew it. If they were both in the same frame of mind, why not? This would probably even help her.

He nodded. "Yes," he replied, not trusting himself to say anything more. He knew that if he were in his right mind, he would have been infuriated that he was letting her get to him so easily. Irina Derevko was a manipulative evil bitch. But right now, it was Laura Bristow who was looking at him with such affection. He could never refuse Laura anything.

"We should get to bed," Irina prompted, being both practical and suggestive at the same time. He was just on the brink now. Maybe she could tip him over…

"Yeah, we should," he agreed, knowing full well that they were definitely going to be getting into bed. And he didn't mind one bit. In fact, it was exactly what he wanted. It was what he had fantasized about for twenty years.

Irina leaned forward ever so slightly, eyes half closed in anticipation for what she knew was coming. Jack swiftly closed the distance between them. Their mouths moved together in a familiar rhythm, like something from a forgotten dream. His fingers twisted through her long locks as hers raked through his wavy hair. They fell back onto the bed and kissed until they could no longer breathe.

Irina smiled up at him. "I've missed you, Jack," she whispered.

Jack's mind screamed at him in protest, to remember what she had done to him, what she had done to Sydney, what she had done to the world. But all of that meant nothing when she looked at him that way. He could only stare at her in the amazement that his beautiful wife was with him once again.

Irina's nimble fingers were making quick work of his belt buckle. She pushed his sweater up and he removed it, tossing it behind him with little care. With lust-hungry eyes, she surveyed his body. The years had aged him, certainly. His perfectly sculpted chest and stomach had lost their youthful definition, but he was still so obviously strong and virile and attractive. A grin broke out over her lips.

Jack watched her look at him. Her reaction did more for his ego than he cared to admit. It had been a while since he had been intimate with a woman, and it had been twenty years since he had been intimate with the woman he loved. He leaned down to capture her lips with his once more.

When their clothes were gone and only their bodies remained between the hotel room sheets, they made love. Perhaps she wasn't used to human contact after being locked up for so long. Perhaps the wine was doing strange things to her head. Perhaps it had just been so long since she and Jack had been together like this. But something about it made Irina's head spin. She called Jack's name, digging her fingernails into his shoulders, arching her back in raptures.

Jack couldn't believe what was happening. It was probably best that he didn't analyze it too much. But here she was, here, with him. God, how he had missed her. How he loved her. How he had always loved her.

"Oh Laura," he moaned.

The use of that name brought Irina back to reality. He was still in love with her. With Laura. Not with Irina. Never with Irina Derevko. Laura Bristow had been a devoted wife and mother. Irina Derevko was a murderous traitor. Jack would never love her the way he had loved her alias. And it was breaking her heart, as much as she wished it wouldn't. She shouldn't care at this point. Jack had made her remember all the love she had for him and how good their lives were all those years ago. But now he reminded her why she was so glad to be saying goodbye to him again.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: This scene is exceedingly long. But there was quite a lot I wanted to pack in here. This takes place during Sydney's lost years when Jack and Irina were working together to find out what happened to their daughter. Their relationship takes a bit of a turn here, one that will carry them through the rest of my story.

_The Happiest Day of My Life_

It had been nearly three months since Sydney's death. Or so everyone believed. But only two people held on to the faith that she was still alive somewhere. Only her parents knew that their daughter could not be done away with so easily. After all, she was the perfect blend of the two of them; it was not so easy to get rid of a Bristow.

Jack had become fanatical about finding her. He had no concrete evidence yet that she was alive, but he knew in his very soul that his daughter was not gone. No one was going to convince him otherwise, no matter what the burned human remains in Sydney's apartment indicated. Irina was the only one who believed him. Irina was the only one who would help him. Irina was the only one he could count on. He knew he should hate that fact, but somehow he couldn't help but be glad she was there.

For her part, Irina knew that Sydney wasn't gone. The Covenant had gone much bolder on this event than they ever had before. She, through her endless underworld contacts, knew more than anyone else outside the organization. She knew they had her daughter. What she did not know was where or why.

The couple followed a lead to Prague. It was the first time they had been to the city together since their honeymoon, a fact that did not escape either of them. Still, in an attempt to remain professional, neither brought it up. Neither brought it up, that is, until they were safe and alone in their hotel room. They agreed on one room, as it was easier to secure one room rather than two, and it was also much easier for a man and a woman to maintain a plausible cover when they spent the night together. The last time they spent the night together in a foreign city, Irina had once again easily seduced Jack then betrayed him in the morning. This fact, too, was forefront on both of their minds.

Irina put her suitcase out of the way and looked out the window onto the busy street below. "I always think of you when I'm in Prague. Our honeymoon really was lovely," she said, still facing the window, this time surveying the adjacent rooftops for possible sniper placement.

Jack did not respond. There wasn't much he was willing to say to her on the subject. He, too, could not come to this city without being reminded of their time as newlyweds. The trip was wonderful. They were so wildly in love. At least, he was. Irina, as usual, was just a very good actress. He wasn't quite sure how to trust her anymore.

"Shall we order dinner?" Irina asked as Jack wandered around the room, his scrutinizing eyes investigating every little nook and cranny. He was sweeping for bugs and explosives. After all, it was what Irina would have done.

"Find the room service menu and I'll call down as soon as I finish this," he replied. Jack dutifully checked beneath the shade of every lamp while Irina watched him from the corner of her eye.

She kicked off her shoes and curled her legs beneath her as she sat on the corner of the bed, flipping through the room service booklet. "My Czech is a bit rusty, would you mind?" she asked, reaching out to him.

He turned and took the menu from her. "That's a lie and we both know it," he said with his trademark deadpan expression. He sat down at the hotel room desk rather than on the bed beside her. It was safer this way.

Irina watched him curiously, scrutinizing every tiny expression of his face and body language. "You're avoiding me."

Jack didn't look up at her. "I think that's probably best, don't you?" His voice was casual as he perused the menu.

She didn't press the issue. "You can feel free to order for me. I'm going to take a shower." She stood and went into the bathroom. She also knew that while Jack was trying to remain cold to her now, he would not continue to do so as the night wore on. When they were married and got into a fight, he always reacted this way: quiet, pretending nothing was wrong, then angrily argumentative until he got all of his frustration out. And when they were married, the fight would finish off in the bedroom where they would make love until they forgot what they had even bothered fighting about. Irina was hopeful that this evening would end in a similar fashion. The last night she and Jack had spent together was wonderful. She did feel somewhat guilty at the time, knowing what she was about to do to him, but there was no such betrayal in the imminent future from her. Tonight, they could just enjoy one another. That is, if Jack ever took the time to look at her.

When Irina walked into the bathroom to take her shower, an act that always helped her think more clearly, she was rudely disrupted by the fact that there was no shower to be seen. Just the large, claw foot bathtub. A bath was not what she wanted or needed right now. How very frustrating. She took a moment to examine her reflection in the mirror, decided she looked perfectly alright, and left the bathroom.

"That was quick," Jack noted, glancing up at her.

"No shower. I'm not in the mood for a bath right now. Did you order dinner?"

"I was just getting to that. Do you have a preference for the wine?"

She gave a small smile. "I trust your judgment."

Jack paused momentarily, his eyes focused on hers. He nodded and proceeded to call down to room service.

While he was occupied on the phone, Irina decided to make herself more comfortable. She removed the fashionable blazer she was wearing and tossed it over a nearby chair. With an innocent sigh, she stretched her arms up and out, delighting at the cracks from her stiff back. Aging was a horrible reality, and while her body was still in fantastic shape, these long plane rides were starting to wear on her. Irina was also acutely aware of the fact that Jack took a long pause on the phone as he watched her stretch. The evening was starting to take a turn for the better.

When Jack hung up the phone, he stood up from the chair and went over to the luggage. "Do you want me to unpack anything for you?" he asked, taking one of his suits from the bag and hanging it in the tiny closet.

"That's a very nice thing for a husband to do for his wife. Either you're taking your alias a little too seriously this trip, or you're continuing to avoid me."

Jack's brow furrowed as he casually took her blazer off the chair and hung it up. "I'm afraid you're incorrect on both attempts."

"Then you aren't acting. That's an interesting change. But you know, we are technically still married."

He was starting to get annoyed. "_Technically, _I was never married to a woman named Irina Derevko. You may be the same person in the flesh, but you are not my wife."

Irina knew she struck a nerve in both of them. She knew how bitter he still was, and reminding him of her betrayal was perhaps a bit cruel. But the contempt with which he spoke about her still made her a bit sad, even if he was completely justified in his feelings. Even so, that contempt would get them nowhere. She needed to break down some of the walls between them if they were ever going to be able to find out what happened to their daughter. It was time to take a more direct approach. He deserved to understand at least some of what had really happened between them. "Sometimes I would forget who I really was. Sometimes I was more Laura Bristow than Irina Derevko. Sometimes I wished I could leave Irina behind and be Laura forever."

"So why didn't you?" he asked, turning to face her. This conversation had taken an interesting turn.

"You know the answer to that question. What KGB agent can turn her back on her country, even if she wants to? When I was extracted, I was taken to that prison in Kashmir and tortured to prove my loyalty to Russia. They had suspected for some time that I had grown too attached to my fabricated American family. They were right. Just after Sydney was born, my contact threatened her life and mine, should my intel begin to diminish. My reaction was rather violent, and had I not made amends and excuses for myself, they would have killed all three of us. You know they would have. If you had ever even gotten suspicious of me, you would have certainly left me and taken Sydney, and then we would have all been eliminated."

"So you're trying to say that you continued to betray me and use me in order to save our family?" Jack scoffed.

"Sometimes, yes. Sometimes it was very easy to use you. But sometimes I had to make excuses as to why I needed to continue. I know I did the right thing. It might not have been right for anyone else, but it was right for me."

Jack simply stared at her. There were no words. He wasn't quite sure what to think at this point. Was she apologizing? No, certainly not. Perhaps just explaining herself? "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you deserve to know that not everything between us was a lie. If we are going to find our daughter, we need to trust each other. I trust you because I know you need me. If you didn't, you would send me right back to a cell made of glass and concrete. I need you to trust me, even though every part of you is telling you not to."

"How do you ever expect me to trust you? I trusted my wife, only to find that I knew nothing about her!" His voice rose, full of agitation and pain.

Irina shook her head. "That isn't true. What is my favorite color?"

"What?"

Irina stood up and moved toward him. "What is my favorite color?"

He sighed. "Lavender. You wanted Sydney's room to be lavender because you loved the way it was the perfect blend of safety, beauty, calm and happiness."

She nodded. "How do I like my eggs?"

"Over medium, never greasy, with salt and pepper."

She nodded again and stepped even closer to him, so close that they were nearly touching. "What was the happiest day of my life?"

He looked into her eyes and could feel his guard slipping. "How could I know that?"

"Because you said that it was the happiest day of yours, which made it all the more special for me."

This time he nodded. "Sydney's fifth birthday. It was just the three of us. You and I made a mess of the kitchen baking her a cake, and we picked her up from kindergarten with the car full of balloons. You gave her that first edition of Alice in Wonderland that I brought back from London."

Irina smiled. "We took turns reading her the Jabberwock poem because it made her laugh, and she kept asking to hear it again."

Jack returned her grin. "And she fell asleep on the living room floor, clutching that book."

"You carried her to bed while I cleaned the kitchen. When you came down to help, we forgot all about the mess and made love on the floor, which was still covered in flour and sugar."

"And I held you in my arms and never wanted to let you go, even if it meant lying in baking products all night." He slowly reached out to hold her.

She happily accepted the invitation into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder the way she used to. "And that was the happiest day of my life. In my darkest times, I think back to that day. I think about you and our daughter."

"We're going to get her back," Jack murmured in her ear, nuzzling her long, dark hair.

"So you trust me?"

"For now."

A knock at the door interrupted their embrace. Jack let the room service waiter in, allowing the young man to set up their dinner. Irina leaned against the corner of the desk and watched. The waiter left, leaving their meal before them.

"Shall we?" Jack asked, motioning for her to sit down. He held her chair out for her, enjoying her smile at his chivalrous act.

"The beef looks delicious. And the red wine was a good choice."

"I hope you'll approve. It was all I could afford, seeing as the CIA isn't footing the bill for my extracurricular activities with you."

They ate in companionable silence, stealing glances at one another here and there. When she was finished, Irina folded her napkin on her empty plate and leaned back with her glass of wine. "It was very good. Thank you."

"You're welcome. It was quite good."

Another silence followed, though this one filled with a palpable tension. They watched each other finish their wine. Jack caught Irina's eye and while he momentarily looked away, her gaze did not waver. Those bright eyes of hers seemed to look into his very soul. And that smile on her face was all too familiar.

Irina set down her empty glass and stood up. "I think I'll have my bath now. Would you care to join me?" she asked nonchalantly as she walked past him on her way to the bathroom.

He turned to face her with a somewhat startled look on his face.

"It's quite big enough for two," she continued simply.

Again he just stared at her, blinking.

Irina's secretive smile grew a little wider. "Why don't you put that cart out in the hall and meet me in the bathroom? I'll run the water."

Jack quickly did what he was told, not wanting to waste a second of the rest of the night. Irina was in the bathroom, as she had said, testing the bathwater as it gushed into the enormous tub. He came in quietly, resting his hands on her hips while she bent over. She quickly straightened, surprised at the sudden touch. She whirled around, and he caught her in a tight grasp. With his arms firmly around her middle, he pulled her close, tentatively bringing his lips to hers. He could feel her smile under his kiss. She reached up to his face and pulled it closer to her as she deepened the embrace. Only when they heard water drip onto the tile floor did they pull apart. The bathtub was overflowing.

Irina quickly shut off the water and drained the excess while Jack mopped up the overflow with a towel. She smiled at him cheekily when everything was cleaned up. "That will teach you to distract me."

"That will teach you to flirt so blatantly," he responded with equal teasing.

Irina laughed and recaptured Jack's mouth with her own. This time, his hands began to wander her body, up and down her sides and back before making their way below the thin tank top she wore. She stepped back from him, allowing Jack to lift the shirt over her head. She then returned the favor for him. They helped each other remove their remaining clothing, pausing here and there to shower one another's bare flesh with caresses.

Jack pulled away from her breathlessly. "We should get in before the water is cold. Assuming you still want to take a bath."

"With you? Of course."

Jack got in first, holding her hands so she didn't slip as she did the same. They lowered down until they were reclining, Jack against the back of the bathtub and Irina against him. She rested her arms on the sides of the bath. His submerged beneath the water to further explore her body. She closed her eyes and sighed happily, letting his skilled hands bring her the pleasure she had waited for. Her head lolled back against his shoulder and he placed sensual kissed along her exposed neck.

"I love you, Irina," he whispered. Jack knew immediately that he should not have said those words. Even if he felt it, Irina likely did not. Something about this woman made him forget every bit of self-control that was usually so easy for him to maintain.

Irina's eyes snapped open. She twisted her body so that she was lying nearly on top of him. "Are you quite sure of that?" she asked seriously.

"I think you know that I am." Jack searched her face with an affectionate smile. He could see the happiness in her eyes.

This was not what she had expected. She wanted him to let his guard down, certainly, but when she had wanted him to make love to her, she had not intended to phrase to ring so true. And he called her Irina. Not Laura. He had never told her, Irina Derevko, that he loved her. She had always loved him, no matter what name she was using. And it seemed that he finally matched her feelings. She could hardly contain how overjoyed she was.

Irina pressed up against him and kissed him passionately. They made love, neither one uttering a distinguishable word as they sloshed nearly all the water out of the bath. When they finished, they ended up in the same position they had started in, Irina's back leaning against Jack's chest. He lazily stroked her wet hair. "You have very beautiful hair," he commented.

"Thank you. You don't think I'm a little old to have it so long?"

"Not at all. It's very sexy. It suits you." He placed tender kisses on her shoulder as he moved her dripping locks out of the way.

"I don't think we've ever made love in the bath before," Irina noted, nuzzling closer to Jack. Only their legs were now under the water and she was beginning to catch a chill.

"A few times in the shower, but never in a bath, as far as I can recall. Although we might want to rethink it next time. You're shivering. Come on, let's get you warmed up." Jack stood and helped her up before grabbing towels for them.

"Next time?" she asked, taking the fluffy white towel and wrapping it around her.

"I assume we'll spend more nights like this in various locations. The contact we're meeting tomorrow won't have all the answers. We're in this together. We'll go wherever it takes us."

Irina smiled. "You seem to have changed your tune. Earlier you could barely look at me. Now you can't keep your eyes off me."

"You were fully clothed before," he pointed out.

"As were you, but I couldn't help my staring."

He rolled his eyes at the obvious use of flattery. "You'll have to do better than that. Come on, let's go to bed."

"Bed already?"

"I didn't say we were going to sleep." Jack walked past her and out to the bedroom, discarding the towel and tossing it behind him. Irina chuckled softly to herself before following his example. Jack was in rare form tonight. It had been a long time since they had been able to joke and tease like this. When he acted like this, it wasn't hard to see why she had fallen in love with Jack Bristow and why she fell in love with him again every time they were allowed this private time. If only that time were not so brief.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: We now find ourselves between Seasons 4 and 5, after the insanity that was Elena Derevko and Sevogda. I always sort of had an inkling that Jack and Irina remained in contact after he let her escape in Russia. I also knew that a whole lot happened in Seasons 3 and 4 that needed clearing up between the two of them. Lots of explanation here, but I hope it reveals a little more about each of them, their motives and their fears. And, of course, I gave them a happy ending.

_Hello Again_

Jack stepped off the plane and instantly felt the sticky tropical heat hit him like a wave. It was his idea to meet here, knowing how she enjoyed the white sandy beaches, but it wasn't his favorite climate. He did this for her. Strange, that he should feel like he still needed to apologize to her.

Irina stood watching the horizon, the ocean air whipping her hair around her face as the frothy waves licked at her bare feet. She waited for him, something she had not done in a long time, not since they were married all those years ago and she would sit on the sofa into the early hours of the morning, praying he would return from his missions in one piece. This was different, but the anxious knot in her stomach was still there. Irina was not looking forward to setting everything right between them. Afterward would be lovely as it always was. But there was much to do before they could get to that point.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caused Irina to look to her left. Jack walked toward her, wearing an untucked white linen shirt and casual khaki pants. His feet were bare as he strolled through the sand. Irina smiled at the sight.

"Customs took your shoes?" she asked.

"Very funny," he replied, coming to a halt beside her.

They stood side by side, silently watching the sun sink into the sea, lighting the sky ablaze in streaks of pink and orange.

Irina turned to face him. "Hello," she said simply.

"Hello," he returned, a small smile playing across his lips. Jack reached up to push her hair behind her ear and stroke her cheek. "You look much better than the last time I saw you."

Her eyes closed and she leaned into his hand, savoring the affectionate gesture. "The last time you saw me was after being tortured and kept in a hole for weeks, after which we fought an army of zombies in Russia. I should hope I look better." She smiled and looked at him, wishing they could keep up this lighthearted conversation, but there were more pressing matters to deal with. "We should get inside. Go somewhere private. We have a lot to discuss," she whispered, knowing that it was best to get it over with.

"I already dropped off my luggage at the bungalow. I didn't see anything of yours."

"You know me. Travel light." Irina began to wander up the beach, pausing only to take Jack's arm and lead him with her. "How is Nadia?" she asked, her tone much more serious now.

"Still heavily sedated. The doctors are hopeful. Sloane is allowed two hours each day to visit her. With U.S. Marshal supervision, of course."

"And Sydney?"

"She and Vaughn are in Santa Barbara for the weekend. She doesn't know that I'm gone. I'd like to keep it that way."

Irina smiled. "They're probably going to elope, you know."

"As long as she is happy and safe, they can do whatever they want."

"I know you have doubts about him, Jack, but he'll do the right thing."

He sighed. "I'm sure you're right." He released her arm to open the door to their island getaway. "I had dinner sent up. Why don't you get it set up while I do the sweep?"

Irina nodded, arranging their dining table with the room service meal while Jack did his usual investigation of the room, searching for transmitters, explosives or anything else of concern.

He came into the dining room, this time wearing his fine Italian loafers on his feet. "All clear."

"Good timing. Everything's ready. It looks wonderful."

The couple sat at the table, side by side instead of across from one another. Irina did this on purpose, not wanting to create any more distance between them. Tonight was a time for them to hopefully regain the relationship they had two years earlier, before Jack had been taken by the NSC for conspiring with her. So much had happened in the meantime. Sydney had returned, safe and sound. Jack met Katya and had a bit of a tryst. They had found Nadia and Irina's past indiscretions had come to light as a result. Elena had held Irina prisoner and tricked Jack into thinking he had killed her. So many events had torn Jack and Irina apart, and, when she allowed herself to think of it, she worried if they could ever come together again.

Irina decided to begin what was sure to be a painful conversation. "You must have many questions for me. I know I have some for you."

"I see," Jack said simply, his voice cold and stubborn. He did not look at her, instead keeping focus on his meal.

"I was going to let you go first, but I suppose I'll begin." She took a deep breath to prepare herself. "How could you do it, Jack? Elena told me it was a point-blank shot in the forehead. You could have found another way. I would have." Irina's voice betrayed her, a twinge of despair coming through.

"We've been over this, Irina."

She shook her head. "Not to my satisfaction, Jack. I want to know exactly what was going through your mind when you shot me." She had regained her strength. She spoke with the same cold tone that he was insisting upon.

Jack searched her eyes. "It wasn't you."

"Yes, we know that now."

He shook his head. "No, I knew it wasn't you. The woman I shot could not have been you."

"Explain."

"I wasn't quite sure I could go through with it. I still don't know exactly how I got that far. Even in my line of work, it isn't very often I get called upon to assassinate the woman I love. But four days before, I caught an assassin outside Sydney's apartment. He wasn't very good, obviously, but he, after a little persuading, told me he was one of many you had hired to kill Sydney. More were coming. She wasn't safe. I panicked."

"You don't panic, Jack," Irina interrupted.

He nodded. "You're right. My panic was transformed into blinding rage. Every time I had ever hated you was nothing like this. Betray me, fine. You had done it enough before. But our daughter? The idea that her own mother wanted her dead consumed me. I got my approval from Langley the next morning, and I set out to kill you myself."

Irina listened calmly, her face completely unreadable. Jack took a sip of wine before continuing.

"We met at a black tie gala in Vienna. If it is any consolation, you looked very beautiful."

"What was I wearing?"

"Some purple gown. The color was very becoming, and the dress, shall we say, accentuated all of your assets."

"And still you shot me?" Irina asked, teasingly.

"Shall I continue?" When she nodded, he finished his tale. "I had a meal set up for us by the pool, far away from everyone else at the gala. We danced together for a while, and you kissed me. That's when I knew. Something was wrong. Something was off. At the time, I thought it was just me, trying to hide my anger. I asked you about Sydney and you came up with some empty explanation, and I couldn't take it anymore. It was as though every negative feeling I ever had for you came out at that one moment. When I pulled the trigger, I felt relieved. But once your threat was over and I was back at home, I felt sick about what I did. I regretted it every moment of every day. In my dreams, well, more like nightmares, I saw the look on your face when you fell back into that pool, blood trickling down where the bullet entered your skull. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw you. So when Dixon said he had seen you in Prague, I had no problem believing that you were still alive, not just because I wanted it to be true, but it finally made sense to me that you would never hurt Sydney, and, well, to be honest, I remember what it feels like to kiss you goodbye. We've done it plenty of times before. That kiss wasn't you."

Irina blinked back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She wasn't sure of their source, the horror of what Jack had described or the sentimentality of his last statement. "You knew it wasn't me from a kiss?"

"I suppose so, yes." Jack finished eating the salmon on his plate before he looked back at her. She was sitting stock still, her dish half consumed.

"Irina?"

"I don't know what I was expecting you to say, but that wasn't it."

"If it had been your kiss, I would have never been able to pull a gun on you. And I'll ask you to not utilize that information in the future."

A smile began to play on her lips. "Still covering the bases, I see. Well done. I have another question for you, if you'd be willing to answer."

"I thought it was my turn now."

"If you want, go right ahead. I'll answer you the best way I can."

"When we found Nadia, her very existence proved…difficult for me."

"Is there a question in there?"

"I think it's implied."

Irina knew this was coming. She had already apologized for her affair, but now it was time to explain. "You were gone so often at that time. It was just before I left. You were testing Project Christmas around the country, and you didn't give me much of anything that I could report back to my superiors. It was Cuvée's idea. I was already good friends with Arvin Sloane; he was also with the CIA, so I should extract information from him. For what it's worth, I would have never been unfaithful to you if I were not ordered to do so."

"Touching," he cut in acerbically.

"And Sloane would not have been my pick, if given a choice. I may have been using you, Jack, but I loved you. I've always loved you and only you. There was very little that I had to lie about or fake during our time together. But with him…granted he can be quite charming, but…I'm not sure what I can say. I needed all of my powers of deception when I was with Sloane. I not only had to convince him that he was a man I wanted, but that I was a woman he wanted. No matter how attractive I make myself, I'm not Arvin's type. He thinks himself far too much of a sophisticate to get involved with someone as dark as I am. Even when I was Laura, I was never wholesome and sweet like Emily. I even felt a bit bad about having an affair with her husband. She was always so kind. But it was a job. What could I do? I would say that affair is one of my biggest regrets, but how can I regret Nadia? Bringing her into the world? When I faked my death and was taken back to Russia, I didn't even know I was pregnant. The prison gave me a medical examination and found out that way. I wasn't aware at that time, but they were familiar with Rambaldi's prophecies and already suspected that I was involved. They kept the baby healthy throughout my pregnancy, but they took her away right after she was born. All that time, I hoped she was yours. I wanted her to be a child born from love, like Sydney was. But I did the math; the odds were she was Sloane's and, of course, she was. But they took my child away from me, and I vowed that I would find her. It took some time, however, because that was when the torture began in Kashmir. And the rest is history." Irina finished her story and searched his eyes, waiting for a reaction.

"For some reason, finding out that you had an affair with my best friend was worse than finding out that you were KGB. It just reopened old wounds."

"Is that why you slept with Katya?"

Jack's brow furrowed. He had no answer for that.

"She told me. It seems you lived up to everything I'd ever said about you. She was also incredibly detailed. But I think that was more for my torture than anything else. Katya was always jealous of me. I was always prettier and smarter and a better agent. But she was my big sister. She protected me from Elena, who always seemed to take her frustrations out on me. Katya always liked to help me while emotionally harming me at every turn. This was no different."

He was at a loss. "I'm not sure…"

Irina chuckled. "Its alright, Jack. I understand. Finding out your wife slept with your best friend is not an easy thing to deal with. Sleeping with her sister seems adequate revenge, especially when that sister shamelessly flirts with you at every opportunity."

"She is quite a force," he commented.

Irina smiled and put her hand on his. The worst was out of the way. She got her answers, and hopefully Jack got his. "I'd rather not think about either of my sisters right now. One is dead, to the detriment of absolutely no one, and the other is in a maximum security prison, where she will hopefully remain for the rest of her days. Right now I'd like to just focus on us. And on that front, it seems to me that you have not verified that I am who I say I am, Jack." She stood up and moved from the dining room into the bedroom.

Jack followed her lead. "Are there more doubles running around?"

"I think it's only right that you make sure. After all, you seem to have a foolproof method of knowing if I really am me."

He watched as she tossed her shawl onto a nearby chair. Jack had caught onto her game, and he was quite ready to play along. "Well let me see, Irina Derevko, if that really is your name…"

Jack gathered her in his arms and softly kissed her lips. Her hands reached up to his face and she freely and enthusiastically responded to his embrace. But as soon as it began, she pulled away. "Well?"

"Hello again, Irina. It's nice to have you back."

"It's nice to be back." She softly kissed him a few more times before sighing happily. "How long do we have together this time?"

"I need to get back to LA in two days."

She groaned, "It isn't long enough."

"It's never long enough. Now I think we've had enough talk tonight, what do you think?"

Irina's eyes sparkled with joy. "I think you're quite right."

Jack took her to the bed, and they spent the rest of the night quite decidedly not talking.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Very short scene that I needed to add in here. This takes place during Season 5, Episode 11, when Irina shows up at Sydney's house. I'll explain more about what's going on here in the next chapter.

_The End_

Irina pulled Jack aside when Sydney went to pack and prepare for their trip to Vancouver. "You have to trust me, Jack."

He regarded her carefully. Irina showing up so suddenly to help Sydney was unexpected, but given their relationship after Sevogda, he was inclined to believe her motherly altruism. But the sheer fact that she felt the need to ask for his trust made him wary. "What are you up to?"

She glanced behind him to make sure they were alone and lowered her voice. "I'm going to finish this. I need to finish this. It has to be me. No one else can do it."

"What are you talking about?"

Irina didn't answer. Instead, she pulled Jack's face to hers and kissed him hard. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. There was a strange sort of pleading in those brown eyes. He brushed her hair back and kissed her again, pulling her close to him.

This time she pulled away. "I want this. I want you and me, together forever. When I'm with you, I can forget about everything else. When we are together, I don't need Rambaldi or anything else that ever gave me the power I yearned for. All of those things just fill the void that years of torture and loss created in me. I have a plan Jack, to end all of this. But I need you to be onboard."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed and leaned against the arm of the chair. "You once told me that you were going to quit the CIA so you could be with me and with Sydney. Would you still give all of this up for us? And for our grandchild?"

Jack thought for a moment. She was right. He would have given it up in a heartbeat for his family. To this day, everything he did was for Sydney, to keep her safe. And as for Irina, he had never loved her more than he had in the last few years. Even with all that kept them apart, there was so much more that kept them together. Was she offering a way to get rid of those powers that divided them? "I would do anything for our family. You know that."

Irina took his hand in hers. "It's Rambaldi. Again. It's always Rambaldi, and it always will be Rambaldi until we can finally end this prophecy. Sydney will never truly be safe until she no longer has that hanging over her head. I don't know all the details yet, but more than anything, I need you to have faith that the things I'm doing are for us and for our daughter, no matter how it looks."

Jack regarded her skeptically. "You expect me to believe that you're going to give up Rambaldi?"

"Jack, do you remember when we talked about Rambaldi for the first time? When I asked you how you could keep from being seduced by his prophecies?"

He nodded. "I had Sydney. I didn't need faith in anything else."

"Exactly. After I was imprisoned and Nadia was taken from me, I did everything I could to find out why. That's how I found Rambaldi. It was an obsession, but it was always just a means to an end in getting my daughter back. Soon, the more I learned, the deeper I fell. But after Sevogda, the horror that was caused by Sloane and Elena, two people who never had anything to keep them from Rambaldi's poison…You and Sydney and Nadia saved me in more ways than one last year. I finally had my family back. I have faith in the three of you. Nothing else matters. That weekend we had on the beach was the deciding factor, Jack," she added with a smile. "We've never been that honest with each other before. And I've never been happier. That's all I want for the rest of my life: you and I wandering the world together."

Irina watched him watch her. She knew he was struggling with what she said. He had no reason to trust her words; she had lied to him before about such things. But this was different. For the first time, Irina was ready to put the people she loved above all else.

Jack eventually conceded. What else could he do? Time would tell if Irina was being honest. He wanted to believe her more than anything, but she still had a long way to go before he could put his full trust in her when it came to Rambaldi. But this was as good a place as any to restart their life together. "Alright. We'll give it a try. What should we tell Sydney?" he asked, wondering what their daughter would say to this new plan to keep their family together once and for all.

She shook her head. "We tell her nothing. She cannot know. Even if she hates me, at least she will be safe."

"Irina, what exactly are you planning?"

"After Vancouver, I'll have a better idea of what comes next. I'll contact you in the usual way, and we can work our next move then. Just please keep this between us. No one can know that we are working together." Her voice was starting to gain a new pitch, one filled with anxiety.

Jack took her into his arms to soothe her. "No one will ever know. We'll be together, just like we always wanted."

She smiled against his shoulder. "We can finally be free and have our happily ever after. We won't have to put an expiration date on our time together."

He kissed the top of her head. "Let's end this," he agreed.

They heard Sydney reenter the room and pulled away from one another to face her. She looked at her parents curiously but didn't question what she thought she saw. "Okay, are we all set?" They nodded. "Let's get going, then."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: So if you've seen the series finale of Alias, you know that both Jack and Irina die. Which I am SO not okay with. The two of them can't die so easily. Which is why I wrote the scene from the previous chapter. Basically, Jack and Irina had a plan that puts all of the character inconsistencies found in the series finale into perspective. We finally get our happy ending, folks. Enjoy, and please review!

_The Final Hello_

Jack slowly opened his eyes to see a pair of concerned bright brown eyes staring at him. He smiled instantly. "Hello," he said simply. His voice was hoarse from disuse.

"Hello," she returned.

A single tear slid down her left cheek. He reached up to wipe it away, but was prevented from doing so by the stitches in his chest. He groaned in pain. She helped him lie back down before administering a small syringe of morphine into his IV. He nodded and sighed in relief.

"You shouldn't move," Irina told him. She lightly ran her hand over his bare chest where the bandages covered his battle wounds.

Jack covered her hand with his, just above his heart. "We had a protocol arranged," he reminded her.

With a sly smile, she leaned over and kissed him, long and lingeringly.

"That's not what I meant, Irina."

"Why not? Is my kiss not definitive proof for you? I can certainly tell it's you, Jack."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he just watched her, waiting for her to initiate their security protocol.

Irina sighed and conceded. "How is Isabelle?"

"Sydney reads her favorite poem to her every night."

"Just like we read it to her on her fifth birthday."

"From the first edition book that I brought back from London."

She couldn't help but smile at the happy memory. "Do you want me to recite some of it?"

"Yes, please," Jack replied, echoing her smile.

In a strong, clear voice, she recited the lines of the poem her daughter had once loved so much. "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."

Jack nodded. They had proved their true identities to one another in the manner they had agreed upon months before. "Did everything go smoothly on your end?"

"Not entirely, but it's all over now. How did it go for you?"

"Well obviously I had a slight hiccup when Sloane shot me."

Irina's eyes darted to his chest. "Three times, I see. Then what happened?"

"Sydney shot him. Twice in the chest, once in the head."

She smiled with pride. "Good for her."

Jack shook his head. "But he didn't die. Turns out Rambaldi figured out immortality."

Her eyes went wide. She obviously knew that the Horizon gave this immortal gift, but she had not expected Sloane to succeed in unlocking it. "So what did you do?"

"I convinced Sydney and Vaughn to go after you, just as we wanted, leaving me for the med-evac team that Dixon sent. As soon I could, I went back down to the tomb, set the explosives, and got out just in time. Sloane should have a nice time under rubble for eternity."

"He really is immortal?" she asked in disbelief.

Jack nodded. "I could hear him shouting after the dust cleared."

"Bozhe moy," Irina whispered in awe.

He regarded her carefully. "Irina?"

"No need to worry, sweetheart. No more Rambaldi. Sydney fulfilled her prophecy. It's all over now," she assured him.

"And how did that go?"

"We were expecting Sydney and Vaughn, of course."

"We?"

"Sark and I."

"Sark?" Jack asked with an angry tone.

Irina smiled. "Even when his allegiance was in question, he was always under my orders. Julian Sark has always and will always work for me. I will never doubt his loyalty."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I found him many years ago when he was only a young boy. An uncle of mine divulged to me that he had fathered a son who could grow up to be a great man if given the right guidance. I recruited and trained Sark myself. He would be dead many times over if it weren't for me. So he is the only one who I never lie to. He is a good asset to have," she explained.

"Lazarey was your uncle?" Jack asked in surprise. Why didn't the CIA know that?

Irina nodded. "My mother's brother of sorts. As I'm sure you know, being an expert in my file, my mother was orphaned in the October Revolution and never knew her real family. She was raised in a Soviet orphanage and Lazarey was one of the children she grew up with. He was always very close with my family, but never in any sort of official capacity. Which is why no one would ever know the connection between us."

"So Sark has been under your thumb the entire time?"

She nodded once more. "And will continue to be. He's terribly useful. He intercepted Dixon's call for a med-evac for you, which is how Sark was able to send in the team with this convenient mobile operating room. They told me you were unconscious when they found you. Blood loss."

"I'm not surprised. Getting shot three times and nearly blown up will do that."

Irina's eyes welled up with tears again. She turned away from him.

Jack took her hand in his. "What's the matter?"

She looked back at him reluctantly. "Those ten years we were married, I used to have nightmares that something like this would happen to you. Even when I had a mission to carry out, I was always worried about your safety. When Sark told me he had to send the surgical team, it was like my nightmare coming true. I didn't know if you were going to live, Jack. I didn't know if I would get to see you again."

"You should know by now that it's going to take more than Arvin Sloane to kill me, especially with so much at stake." He smiled, trying to allay her fears. This was a time to rejoice. They were finally together and finally free. Jack opened his mouth to say something else but closed it again, looking around the room.

"Do you need something?" she asked.

He looked back at her, the slightest bit sheepishly. "I'd like to kiss you again, but you told me not to move. Would you mind?"

Irina laughed, actually laughed, for the first time she could remember. "I think I can manage." She leaned in and kissed him, much more passionately than the last time. It was somewhat difficult, trying to avoid his injuries. He seemed not to mind, however, and pulled her closer to him. Eventually, however, she put a little too much pressure on his chest and he grimaced under her kiss. She stood up immediately. "I'm sorry. Perhaps that's all we should do for now."

Jack's eyes twinkled. "Pity. You've already got me on my back, all ready to go."

She shook her head at him with a smile. "You're incorrigible. Let's get to my safe house, shall we?"

"I assume you have a way to transport me somewhere."

"The medical team was instructed to leave before I got here so there would be no witnesses to our little escape into the anonymity that death has so conveniently provided us, so I'll be driving us up past the Russian border to my house in the forest." Irina stood up and limped to the front of the transport.

Jack noticed and immediately asked with slight alarm, "What happened to you?"

"Our daughter stabbed me in the leg with a shard of glass. I suppose it's my own fault, for baiting her the way I did."

"It was all part of the plan, Irina. You said you didn't mind being made the villain."

"And I don't, since it means we have the world to ourselves now. But I was a bit impressed with Sydney. I had years to recover after giving birth before going back into the field doing the kind of things she's been doing, not six months after Isabelle was born."

Jack smiled. "I'm glad you've noticed what I've always known. Our daughter is incredible."

"Yes she is. And now she's just as free as we are. She and Vaughn can go and have a dozen more children, and they never have to hear the name Rambaldi or Irina Derevko ever again." She looked back at Jack and noticed a strange sentimental look in his eyes. "I know you'll miss her. You've had much more of a relationship with both of my daughters than I ever got to. But I think it all worked out."

She was right, Jack knew. His relationship with Sydney had never been better. For so long, his whole life was consumed by trying to protect her the best way he could, and now it would be years before he would see his beloved daughter again. And both Sydney and Nadia missed out on a relationship with their mother for a myriad of reasons. They would never get that time back, and he knew that a part of Irina would always regret it. But the two of them had finally worked together and achieved exactly what they wanted: Sydney and her family were safe, and he and Irina could share their lives the way they always wanted.

Irina decided to leave him to his thoughts. "You rest. It's time we made our move. It will be a few hours before we get through the Russian border. Longer, depending on patrol movements."

"Irina," he called out to her before she could start the engine.

She poked her head back into the room. "Yes?"

"I love you."

She couldn't help the wide grin that spread over her face. "I love you, too. Now get some rest."

The drive to the safe house was smooth and easy. No complications to speak of, for which Irina was eternally grateful. After her fight with Sydney, the fall through the glass to where she and Sark had hidden the foam mat underneath the faux tile floor, the quick patch job she did on Sark after he had been shot by Vaughn, and the long trip from Hong Kong to Mongolia, it had been quite a day. All she wanted now was to curl up in bed with Jack and get some much needed rest.

Jack had recovered enough strength to hobble from the transport vehicle into the house with Irina's aide. He didn't like having to lean on her like this when she herself was injured, but he was well aware that she had been through worse. They went straight into the bedroom, though not for the usual reason. She helped him get comfortable in bed, then took a quick shower, eliminating the last of the blood and glass and grime from her body. Jack was asleep when she crawled into bed beside him. She watched his chest rise and fall beneath the bandages.

"You don't have to watch me like that." His voice cut through the darkness, startling her slightly.

"Yes I do," she countered. "I still can't believe that we really did it, that we can be together without one of us knowing that we eventually have to say goodbye."

Jack reached out and caressed her cheek. "I know. It seems a little too good to be true. We get to be together forever."

"Forever," she echoed with a breathy sigh. "It won't be long enough."

"It never is, sweetheart."

Irina kissed his cheek and snuggled close to him, resting her head on his shoulder, careful not to disturb his wounds. They fell asleep together, knowing that their dream of forever was at last real and beckoning them wherever they chose to take it.

The End

Author's Note2: I hope you liked this story even half as much as I liked writing it! Also, I have a standalone epilogue planned, so look out for it if you're interested! Thanks so much for your support of my story and my obsessive love of these characters. :)


End file.
